Saturday, March 20, 1948
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
THE FINAL CHAPTER of the amazing Midvale story may be written tonight on the hardwood of the Younstown South field house, but North Canton followers expecting their Vikings to have an easy run may be in for a rude surprise. On the basis of records, tournament play and a few other factors, the Vikings appear to have the thing cinched, but other teams have felt this same way about facing Head Coach Bill French's Blue Devils only to find that they were laboring under false security.
In their pell-mell race through Sectional and District tournaments, the Blue Devils have defied basketball averages. You expect them to lose and they win. And, nearly as surprising, when they are picked to win, they do. North Canton trounced the Middlebranch Diamonds during the regular season by 20 points. However, if they are running true to form tonight, this won't mean a thing to the Devils.
The trail may end tonight. Against the type of odds they will be facing, Midvale's small crew could hardly be expected to derail the Vikings. But, if Midvane can gain an 8 or 10 point advantage midway in the game, North Canton will have to earn that berth in the State finals the hard way. The Blue Devils can make 2 points look very, very large! If you are going to the Mahoning County capital tonight, don't expect too much of the Blue Devils, but don't be surprised if they give you more than you expect. That is the kind of ball club the 21-year-old French has molded.
NOTE: The Midvale Blue Devil's chances tonight were seriously impaired by an injury to Senior guard Dan Carlisle. The diminutive guard received a torn muscle in his right leg Thursday night and was limping badly today.
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